Muscovy females sharing care of ducklings?

[Breemae123]

We had 4 ducklings hatch a little over a week ago and when they started moving around they kept bugging their aunt. She eventually completely abandoned her nest and we lost all of her eggs. She started following her sister’s ducklings around and she acts like a mother to them. Both the mother of the ducklings and her sister kind of share caring for them and never leave their side.

Right now the ducklings are under their aunt sleeping and not under their mother... is this normal? The actual mother is sitting right next to them though. (Black is the mother. Gray the aunt)

The ducklings bug their other aunt a lot, too and she is still sitting on her eggs... should I separate them?

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Nah, no need to separate. Muscovies tend to share. They will even share nests and clutches of eggs to hatch. Really, they are just showing them how to survive - not like they independently feed the ducklings. So there is really no reason to separate unless one is harmful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's actually amazing to me they are doing this My Muscovy females have never shared their ducklings they don't even like them to be around another Muscovy for at least 2-3 weeks after they hatch. I thinks its very sweet yours are doing this.

 

[chickens really]

I would watch because the last Hen might not like the two others and the Ducklings around her and her new hatch. I would separate them..

 

[Thesweetbirdsflock]

I have no advice for you or answers, I just wanted to say that this is the sweetest thing I have ever heard!!! I think I need to get Muscovys now!

 

[Skye'sDucks]

How sweet! Muscovy mamas will share and I agree there's no cause for concern unless one is showing aggression.

Actually posting because there are currently 2 wild Muscovys that live nearby that I love to watch. They share each other's babies (Or one nest, I'm unsure because I've never seen them separated) and its the cutest thing to watch them go around together. They've actually kept like 10 babies, and I'm rather surprised since the hawks usually get most of the wild ones.